NAVAN Racecourse officially cut the ribbon on its new schooling ground this week. The track, located on the inside of the main course, was opened by Navan’s chairman, trainer Noel Meade. With the growing importance of schooling days to the horse racing industry, the opening of the new track is a welcome addition to the facilities at Navan.

Speaking at the opening, manager Peter Killeen said: “The schooling track is a project we have been working on for quite a while, and it’s really great to see it finally come to fruition. Following on from feedback from some of the top local trainers and jockeys we have decided to run the horses right-handed around the inside of our main track, giving a lovely gradual testing uphill finish.

“We ran over two distances, a mile and a half and two miles today, as it’s our first time schooling on the track, but our intention going forward is to accommodate distances between six furlongs and two miles. Hopefully Navan can now play a role in satisfying the growing demand for trainers to school their horses and we will hold schooling days on a regular basis.”

Following the opening, approximately 70 horses used the new track and the feedback was very positive from the riders taking part. Jockey Sean Flanagan commented: “It’s super. It’s the opposite way to the racing line and they have done a super job designing it as it doesn’t go near the main track at any stage. It’s going to be a super facility for trainers to have going forward.”

Mary Kennedy

Having spent the last 41 years working at RTE, Mary Kennedy, arguably Ireland’s favourite television presenter, recently said she planned to embrace new opportunities as they arise. Well Navan has taken advantage of the opportunity presented and Mary will be the celebrity judge for their Winter Ladies Day on Sunday, November 24th.

The event has prizes worth €2,000 to the winners and runners-up courtesy of the nearby Navan Town Shopping Centre. On the track the Ladbrokes Troytown Chase is the feature on a day with almost €250,000 in prizemoney.

Mary said: “I was so delighted when Navan Racecourse approached me to be their Winter Ladies Day judge and I was just delighted to accept. Having spent years interviewing people in every county in the country I’ve noticed that Irish women have a great sense of style, especially more than ever when we have so many fabulous home-grown fashion designers and milliners here.

Kate O’Sullivan, Navan’s marketing manager, added: “Ladbrokes Troytown Day is our flagship National Hunt fixture of the year and the Winter Ladies Day is the first big fashion competition of the new season and really adds to what is a huge electric atmosphere. It will be very competitive here on the day.”

Pat Mullaney from Navan Town Shopping Centre commented that “Navan Town Centre is delighted to continue its partnership for the seventh year. The day always attracts a fabulous crowd and we will have plenty of outfit inspiration in the run up to the day.”